This invention relates generally to the field of finger picks and more specifically to a machine for placement on the fingertips of players of stringed instruments with which the strings will be picked or plucked.
Ever since the invention of stringed instruments, musicians have striven for the optimum method of plucking or strumming the strings of their chosen instrument. In the earliest of times, strings could be plucked or strummed with the fingernails of the musician because all strings were made from animal sinew or gut. With the onset of steel strings, it was learned that the fingernails of most musicians who chose to pick finger style would not stand up to the harshness of steel strings. In time, some inventor devised a metal device that was installed on the fingertip and supplanted the fingernail as the chosen method of plucking or strumming finger style.
However, from that time forward, myriad problems have plagued the users of the accessory. Early fingerpicks were comprised of two wraparound wings that were designed to be installed around the fingernail area of the finger. This design, currently still in use and sometimes referred to as the “National” design, usually manufactured from metal or plastic, requires that the picks be squeezed on tightly in order to keep the pick from dislodging and flying off the finger. The tightly installed picks often results in no small amount of pain after only a few minutes of use. Secondarily, because the pick is squeezed onto the fingertip, the rear portion of the pick wrap usually rests against the cuticle of the fingernail. During the picking process, the pressure on the pick face causes the rear of the pick wrap to dig into the cuticle. This very often results in painful hangnails, which have been and still are a constant problem. A less painful but nevertheless a very annoying problem is that of pick collisions during musical performances. This results in a clicking noise that very often disrupts and interferes with recording sessions. These pick collisions also diminish many musician's ability to finesse a musical piece.
Over the years, many designs have been offered as a replacement for that early pick. There have been fingerpicks with double wrap wings and numerous other wrap designs, none of which have completely overcome the problem of pick collisions during musical performances or the problem of hangnails and the pain associated with tightly installed fingerpicks.
The Alaska pick was designed as an attempt to more closely replicate the fingernail. This device was designed to slip over the top portion of the finger and embodies a slot into which the fingernail goes. This is to supposedly counter the torque imposed when the string is plucked. While many of this pick design has been sold to date, they are nevertheless not widely used.
The National design has also been manufactured from plastic. This, however, enjoys limited appeal as the memory in plastic prevents the user from permanently forming the pick to an ideal shape to fit his or her finger. Plastic may be reshaped by heating in hot water, but the process is much more burdensome than reshaping metal picks.
Various fingerpick designs have been manufactured from numerous materials, none of which until now, have truly overcome the challenges associated with the use of fingerpicks.
A musician who is able to pick with fingernails enjoys the ultimate in musical “touch.” The tip of the finger as well as the fingernail is able to touch the strings, providing the musician with the ability to add finesse and dynamics to his or her music, a luxury that has been unattainable with fingerpicks. Additionally, while playing with fingernails, the skin of the fingers may touch each other while playing. This adds additional awareness of exactly what the fingers are doing during the process of picking.
The National pick design is designed to be worn around the fingernail region of each finger. This usually results in the picks colliding during play. This not only diminishes the musician's touch, but also results in a clicking sound that is often heard during recording sessions.
The National fingerpick design is inherently unstable when in use. Many musicians are forced to continuously push the picks back onto the fingertip during use, despite the fact that they are installed tightly. Very often, when the tip of the pick catches a string on the top side of the tip of the fingerpick, the pick will fly off, resulting in the ruination of the musical piece.
Until now, no fingerpick designs have been invented with two different shapes, designed specifically to overcome the challenges associated with the national, or old style fingerpicks. The most a musician could have hoped for was purchasing picks of different sizes to accommodate fingers of different sizes, but which were and are the same shape. The device described herein was designed as a set. In that configuration, this device overcomes the four (4) major problems associated with most other fingerpicks.
Some prior patents:
401,476Apr. 16, 1889Barnes413,579Oct. 22, 1889Stewart1,296,284Mar. 4, 1919Gilman3,739,681Jun. 19, 1973Dunlop